The Lost Girl
by SarahtheRogue
Summary: A time portal brings a young Emma Swan to Storybrooke. Post Season Three. One shot.


Emma stood staring at the swirling orange and red light, her gut clenched in trepidation. Time portal. Why did Elsa have to open a time portal? Emma looked to her left and caught Killian's eye. He gave her the slightest of nods, and she exhaled a breath she had been unconsciously holding. Whatever Elsa was planning they could handle it, together.

'What's the plan Elsa? Going to take a trip back in time?' Emma taunted as she glared at Elsa, the time portal enlarging behind her, the wind whipping at her ice blue gown.

'I think not Saviour. I simply mean to bring forward a means of defeating you'. Elsa stated reservedly with a sly smile, before turning to the portal and plunging in her gloved hand and arm reaching for something. She pulled her arm back, throwing a dark figure down onto the asphalt of Main Street.

'You think someone from the past can defend you against my light magic?' Emma scoffed as she changed her stance, arms crossed and head tilted.

'I don't need to be defended against your _precious_ light magic. You'll destroy yourself'. Elsa smirked before disappearing in a billowing cloud of magical smoke.

The dark figure on the ground, cautiously started to rise. Placing shaky hands on the asphalt, it raised its head the hood of the jumper falling back, revealing messy blonde hair. The figure looked up at the motley group of figures staring at her. 'I'm too sober for this' she muttered as she reached into her satchel retrieved a brown paper bag covered bottle. Unscrewing the cap, she pressed it to her lips taking a long drawn out mouthful. She staggered upright, to get her footing, and eyed the figure who had stepped out of the crowd towards her. 'What are you looking at?' she sneered, wiping her mouth with the back of her left hand, revealing a fresh flower tattoo on her wrist.

Emma stared at the girl, and she knew. Emma took another step towards the girl, slowly she pushed up the sleave of her left arm, showing the girl her identical tattoo. Snow and Charming looked between the two anxiously, 'Emma is she..?' Snow asked cautiously. Emma swallowed, before nodding slowly.

The girl started at her own tattoo, it was new. She looked up at the women, Emma. But she was Emma, her heart started to beat faster, her breathes became short and sharp. She dropped the brown paper bottle, glass breaking, and amber liquid soaking through the paper and spilling onto the asphalt. She took a step back, then another, before turning and running her blood pounding in her ears.

Emma felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. 'Emma, are you okay?' her father asked quietly looking into her face, 'should we go after…her?' Emma looked past Charming towards her mother, Snow was looking at the receding figure, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. 'Ah no, I better talk…to myself' Emma finished on a breath, turning away from the crowd, heading after her younger self.

* * *

Killian stared at Emma's back as she walked down Main Street, her hands clenching and unclenching. The girl, slight with huge green eyes, that was Swan. A lost girl, with eyes full of sadness. Killian was taken out of his contemplative reprieve, by a broken female sob. Killian looked up at Charming who was embracing his wife, who was sobbing like her heart was breaking. Charming looked down at his wife, kissing her raven hair, burring his face in her hair trying to steel his emotions to be strong for Snow.

'I never thought...we've never even seen a photo…she's so young…the way she… looked so sad'. Snows voice broke of as she cried anew into Charming's chest.

Killian walked over to Charming and Snow, 'Despite Elsa's nefarious intentions. This…it might be a blessing in disguise' he said softly in an attempt to stem Snow's tears. Snow gently broke from Charming's embrace, wiping her tears across her cheeks as she turned towards Killian. Charming carefully place his hands on her shoulders, letting her back rest against his chest. 'What do you mean?' asked Charming as he looked down at his distraught wife.

'The way I see it' said Killian his expression softening '…you get a chance to be with her. See part of her life that you missed. I think she might need her parents'. Killian gave them a small reassuring smile.

'You're right' said Snow as she exhaled a shaky breathe. She reached up to cover one of Charming's hands with her own. 'We should go home, wait for her there. When she's ready' said Snow as she looked up at Charming.

The crowd started to dispense, talking amongst themselves, looking towards there Prince and Princess with empathy and concern. Snow and Charming began to walk home, before Charming turned back towards Killian. 'You coming?' Charming inquired with a knowing look.

'Aye' replied Killian as he followed behind the royals.

* * *

Young Emma crouched in the forest, her back resting against a large tree with her head hung between her knees attempting to subdue her panicked breathes.

She heard a crunch of dry leaves, and the snap of a small branch before the figure sat down and assumed a similar position alongside her.

Drawing her knees up to her chest, Emma looked sideways at her younger self. 'I don't think there is anything I could say to you that would explain how you're here, that you would believe' Emma said honestly. Young Emma looked up and turned her head to Emma staring into the same green eyes. 'I'm fine with not believing, just tell me' young Emma stated with a stern expression, walls up. Emma saw that look, she knew it well. 'Well…you were bought through a time portal into my present, your future… by an evil woman with ice magic' Emma explained, almost not believing it herself. It was beyond logic. 'Oh, is that all?' scoffed young Emma, 'I thought maybe I was tripping on acid or I was in some extremely lucid coma dream, time travelling seems a little predictable. I mean what is this Back to the Future?' she smirked as she looked towards her older self.

'No Delorean in sight I'm afraid' Emma said as she gave a small smile looking at her younger self. She has almost forgot what it was like back then. The loneliness, the running, when she was invisible; Emma's smiled faded from her face.

'So why did this evil ice magic woman bring me here?' young Emma inquired incredulously. 'I'm not sure exactly, she said that I would destroy myself'. Emma said as she rolled her eyes 'The evil ones are always cryptic'.

'Well so what's the plan, how do I get back?' Young Emma. 'I…I don't know, but there is some people you need to meet…' said Emma her voice faltering.

'Who?' asked younger Emma.

'Your parents'.

* * *

Killian sat in the armchair, watching as Snow cleaned the kitchen bench for the fourth time, scrubbing at an invisible stain. 'Snow, you need to breath' said Charming as he gently coaxed her away from the bench, and steered her towards the couch.

As soon as Snow sat down, the sound of a key turning in the door awoke them from their silence reprieve. Killian, Charming and Snow stood up and turned towards the door.

Emma opened the door, seeing them waiting she raised her hand motioning for them to sit back down. Behind her she ushered in the young Emma. The girl walked into the room, allowing Snow and Charming to finally get a proper look at her. She wore an old pair of converse sneakers, cracked and worn. Her jeans were faded, with rips at the knees, with a black hooded jumper covering a flannelette shirt. Her satchel slung over one shoulder. She raised a hand to her mouth, anxiously chewing on her thumb nail as she surveyed the people in front of her. 'Are you hungry?' asked Emma as she gently pushed young Emma towards the nearest seat. Younger Emma look up at her, 'Yeah' she responded, placing her satchel down on the ground and she sunk into the plush armchair. Snow jumped up eagerly, 'What would you like, we have…' she asked before Emma cut her off. 'Fruit Loops' said Emma with a knowing look at her younger self. Younger Emma visibly relaxed in the armchair, and chuckled 'Glad to see I still like the same cereal'.

'It was the one thing that always tasted the same, no matter where I went' Emma replied as she went to sit on the arm of the couch next to her Father. She turned her head towards Killian who was sitting silently in the armchair opposite young Emma, their eyes met and she gave him a thankful smile. Their eye contact broke, when Snow returned with a bowl of Fruit Loops which she gave to younger Emma with a heartbreaking smile. 'Thanks?' younger Emma said as she reached for the bowl from the dark haired woman, who was looking at her like her heart would break. Once Snow had returned to her seat next to Charming on the couch, younger Emma slowly raised a spoonful of the colour cereal to her mouth. Chewing contemplatively, she swallowed, 'So they're…?' she inquired looked towards Emma.

'Yes' replied Emma knowing exactly what she was thinking. Younger Emma spooned another serving of fruit loops into her mouth. Snow, Charming and Killian sat in silence watching the dialogue between the two Emma's, hesitant to interrupt. 'When?' younger Emma probed. '28' Emma replied with a slight sigh. Young Emma stopped with a third spoonful halfway to her mouth, she returned the spoon to the bowl, gently placing the bowl down on the table in front of her. Young Emma ran a hand through her hair. 'You're telling me I don't find my parents for another 14 years? She asked looking at Emma dead in the eye.

'Yes' replied Emma.

Younger Emma sat thinking to herself. No one said a word. The silence was abruptly broken.

'Is it just me or does 14 seems a little young to be drinking hard liquor?' inquired Killian breaking the tension. All eyes turned towards the leather clad figure, who was lounging in the opposite armchair.

'What's it to you… guy liner and leather? Scoffed younger Emma as she stared across the room at Killian.

'That's pirate to you lass' he replied attempting to give her his most intimidating stare.

Young Emma looked towards Emma 'Is he for real?' 'Yeah he is' replied Emma with a smirk as she looked at Killian. Down boy.

'And you too…?' younger Emma implied with a tilt of her head.

Emma shifted on the arm of the couch uncomfortable. 'I don't think we really need to discuss that now, in front of my…your parents' replied Emma, a slight blush flaring on her cheeks.

'Well, since you explained that my…parents, Snow and Charming'. Younger Emma said as she looked towards the pair who sat smiling at her. 'Are royalty, which makes you…a princess? She queried looking towards her older self. 'Yes and?' replied Emma. 'Well you're a princess, he's a pirate…' younger Emma continued 'I've only seen the movie 100 times, and got a tattoo for it…' looking towards herself.

Emma felt like she wanted to have the world engulf her, they were not having that discussion here.

'What _movie_ does this lass refer too?' Asked Killian sitting forward in his chair, intrigued.

'Nothing, it has _nothing_ to do with anything' replied Emma as she gave herself a dark stare.

'Whatever you say, _Buttercup_'. Younger Emma retorted, allowing the word to end on a pop.


End file.
